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Chip comparison

Chip comparison

Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2013 8:35 am

by mikev

Good morning (actually the time of day your at...), I purchased two 08m2 chips which are still in the box. Looking at the data sheet..http://www.picaxe.com/docs/picaxe_manual1.pdf
I am wondering what the difference is compared to the lpc810 chip,http://www.mouser.com/ds/2/302/LPC81XM-225097.pdf.
....I am rather new and dont know how to put it, I apologize for comparing apples to oranges and I know enough to look at the data sheets and see the obvious differences. What I mean, or asking is in general terms of what the chips are... ...that does not sound right either... I apologize for my lack of sense. Hopefully someone will know what I am asking. Thank you for your response in advanced.

I am having second thoughts... I am going to look at the data sheets, thanks.

Re: Chip comparison

Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2013 11:30 am

by cae2100

the picaxe chips are just normal PIC microcontrollers with a custom bootloader installed on them, and the lpc810 chip is an ARM cortex M0 system on a chip. They're completely different, different programming, different architectures, different programming tools, different software, everything different.

pic microcontrollers are what you find in small robotics, different things you would use as hobby projects, and found in things that need a reprogrammable chip to control something.

ARM processors are what you find controlling cell phones, and android tablets.

once you get into the microcontrollers and see how everything works, it's actually a piece of cake to use, it's just more or less writing a very simple program on the computer, and hooking it up to the chip, then uploading the code to the chip through the interface/programmer. I deal with standard PIC microcontrollers most of the time, which are honestly a piece of cake once you get the programming languages learned.

for a small comparison between a pic chip and an arm processor, its like comparing a calculator to a dvd player, completely different and used for completely different applications.

Re: Chip comparison

Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2013 12:09 pm

by desy2820

Well, I'm not an expert with these microcontrollers. But, here is a quick list of their key differences:

The PICAXE is programmed in a BASIC-like language. The actual program is transferred to the chip using a simple three-wire connection and two resistors. You may need a special USB-to-serial adapter though, (AXE027), depending on your computer. No special development boards are required, just a blank breadboard, but they are nice to have & use. The programming software (Integrated Development Environment, or IDE) is free. The PICAXE eight-pin devices require minimum external components (support components) to work, just power, ground, and the two resistors. It will operate from 3v3 to 5 volts. Larger devices do require more support components, such as the 18 or 24 pin devices.

The LPC81XM part is programmed in C or C++. It requires a special programming adapter, or a development board with the programming adapter integrated into it. There are a few free IDEs, including one from NXP, and many paid ones as well. These parts require many more support components, such as crystals or resonators, capacitors, and resistors. A development or evaluation board is highly recommended.

If you are new to electronics and programming, you will probably find the PICAXE easier to get started with. As your knowledge grows, you can stick either stick with PICAXE or move to other processors. If you already know C/C++, then the NXP part may be a better choice, as you can leverage your existing knowledge. It all depends on your goals---what do you want to do? Do you have specific projects in mind already? What are you hoping to learn?